Top seeds prevail at Teams Event

Top seeds Auckland and BOP have prevailed on the final day of the Junior Inter District Teams Event in Auckland today.

In the girls' competition, Auckland were far and away the best team, white-washing Waikato 4/0 in the final.  With the might of the under 19 individual finalists Ellie Epke and Hayley Hughes at one and two in the order, followed by under 17 national champion Abbie Palmer and Juee Bhide (fourth in the under 19 individuals), the Auckland lineup is as deep as it is impressive.   

BOP also won the boys' final by a 4/0 scoreline - albeit in closer circumstances.  Josh Oakley and Luke Cooper led the team away with four set wins over Brandon Keenan and Corbin Faint respectively.  Joseph Lyons then pulled off a tremendous upset by beating Luke Jones in five sets.  Jones, the under 19 individual champion, has had an enormous week of squash.  Aside from his individual accolades, he has pulled his team through the teams event by winning some arduous (and high pressure) matches, and it seemed that his legs finally ran out of juice.  Alex Revington finished the tie off by beating Blake Koolen in the dead rubber.

In the other playoff matches, BOP and Wellington finished third in the girls' and boys' competitions respectively.

Northland was pipped in both of the playoffs for fifth place - beaten by Central in the girls' competition, and by Canterbury in the boys'.

Wellington took seventh spot in the girls' competition, with Auckland winning the boys' playoff for seventh spot.

The prestigious Gifford Cup - awarded to the District with the best combined results (boys' and girls' teams) - was won by Bay of Plenty for the first time since 1988.

Final Results

Girls

(1) Auckland bt (2) Waikato 4/0
Ellie Epke bt Jacinta Matson 12-10 11-5 11-9
Hayley Hughes bt Taylor Ashton 11-4 11-4 11-6
Abbie Palmer bt Nikkie Kennedy 11-9 11-4 11-3
Juee Bhide bt Casey Owen 11-5 11-13 11-4 11-7

Boys

(1) BOP bt (2) Central 4/0
Joseph Lyons bt Luke Jones 9-11 5-11 11-8 11-6 11-4
Josh Oakley bt Brandon Keenan 11-6 11-6 13-15 11-5
Luke Cooper bt Corbin Faint 11-4 11-9 10-12 11-8
Alex Revington vs Blake Koolen 11-2 11-4 11-7

Finishing Positions

Boys

1. BOP
2. Central
   
3. Wellington
   
4. Eastern
   
5. Canterbury
   
6. Northland
   
7. Waikato
   
8. Auckland
   
9. Southland
   

Girls

1. Auckland
2. Waikato
3. BOP
4. Canterbury
5. Central
6. Northland
7. Wellington
8. Southland
9. Eastern